The Very Hungry Caterpillar(by Eric Carle, Philomel $15.95 Score:) Toddlers love the repetition of the text, the subject of eating and the sensory fun of poking little fingers into the holes the hungry caterpillar has eaten through. A young science book that will also be enjoyed by preschoolers.

Caps for Sale(by Esphyr Slobodkina, HarperTrophy $3.95 Score:) What happens when an old peddler falls asleep and a tree full of monkeys take his stack of hats? With its repetitive refrain and humor, this favorite read aloud gives kids a chance to feel so much smarter than the peddler. A classic!

Curious George(by H. A. Rey, Houghton Mifflin $14.95 Score:) One of many satisfying tales about an adventuresome monkey and the man in the big yellow hat. You probably grew up with this storybook character and his love of independence. Many of the stories will be even more appropriate for early school age kids who identify with George and his hunger for independence and mischievous ways. 3-7

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie(by Laura J. Numeroff/illus. by Felicia Bond, HarperCollins $12.95 Score:) What happens if you give a mouse a cookie? Why, of course, he's going to want a glass of milk. Kids love the delicious cause-and-effect way the story builds. This was the first of a delightful series.

The Little Engine That Could(by Watty Piper/illus. by George and Doris Hauman, Putnam $4.95 Score:) Who will help the little Blue Engine and all the toys over the mountain? A well-loved story that talks to the importance of perseverance and confidence.

Mama, Do You Love Me? (by Barbara Joosse/illus. by Barbara Lavallee, Chronicle $15.95 Score:) An ode to unconditional love. With a series about of "what if?" questions a child tests the limits and finds reassuring answers. Set in the Arctic, Lavellee's illustrations convey a picture of another culture along with the universal theme of love between parent and child. 3 & up.

The Nutshell Library(by Maurice Sendak, HarperCollins $12 Score:) Each of the four little books in this collection is a gem in its own right. Fours adore the defiant "Pierre" who declares he doesn't care...until a lion teaches him to do so. Then there's the most delicious compendium of months to sip and chant in "Chicken Soup and Rice". "One Was Johnny" is a counting book and "Alligators All Around" an amusing alphabet. 4 & up.

The Runaway Bunny(by Margaret Wise Brown/illus. by Clement Hurd, HarperCollins $12 Score:) A little bunny declares his independence and his mother assures him that she'll still be there for him wherever he goes. For older kids this would be smothering- for preschoolers it's a comforting backup! 3-5.

Tar Beach(by Faith Ringgold, Crown $14.95 Score:) In this flying fantasy, Cassie Lightfoot takes off from her tar beach, the rooftop of her home in Harlem, claiming whatever she sees as her very own. Cassie wears the lights of the George Washington Bridge like a diamond necklace. Illustrations began as a story quilt that hangs in the Guggenheim Museum. 5-9.

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs(Viking $13.95 Score:) At last, we are privy to what really happened when a fellow by the name of A. Wolf, a poor wolf wanted to borrow a cup of sugar from a certain pig. A great way to help kids begin to think about how point of view can change a story. 5-8.